The next day, corpses littered the streets and alleys.
Tang San stared at the corpses of people who were half human and half beast, lost in thought. They had no consciousness, only the beasts' instincts.
There were more than just those. Ling Chen had also cleared out even stranger creatures, whose hands had turned into weapons. They seemed to be in the same state as the half-human, half-beasts, driven only by their bestial instincts.
"Do you recognize these things?"
Ling Chen cut the head off one of the corpses, which was half human and half lizard, then kicked it over to Tang San.
"Since I entered Slaughter City, I've never seen anything like this..."
Tang San thought it over before answering.
Ling Chen wasn't surprised. They killed people and left; why would they care what happened to the corpses? Only a corpse-lover like Ling Chen would notice such strange beings.
"Still, judging by their condition, it seems they were once wanderers, transformed after being corrupted by killing intent."
Ling Chen nodded. He agreed with that theory.
"Even so, we don't have any conclusive evidence to prove it. But since we've decided to slaughter the city, we might as well clear these monsters out while we're at it."
At this, Tang San simply got to work in silence, saying nothing.
Before long, everyone in one section of the inner city had been slaughtered. After searching the corpses, Ling Chen didn't stop. He headed for the next section.
Just then, a crowd charged out from every direction.
"Brothers! Hack him to death!"
They revealed their Martial Souls and rushed at Ling Chen. This time, there was no cramped space for Ling Chen to use as cover. He was surrounded on all sides.
Ling Chen made a rough estimate: nearly five hundred people, with even more experts hidden in the shadows, beyond his sight.
"Just in time!"
It was obviously impossible for Ling Chen, as he was now, to withstand a group attack by hundreds. But carving a path through them was still easy enough.
Never underestimate the Green Steel Sword, which Ling Chen had strengthened three times recently. With no Soul Power Level suppression possible here, its keen edge and heavy weight would cleave through anything in its way.
Ling Chen turned and fought toward the Hell Slaughter Arena. In the blink of an eye, he was engulfed by flashing blades and sword light, his body covered in wounds.
Ling Chen swung the Green Steel Sword wildly, clashing with a bewildering blur of blades. He had no time to care about the flesh being cut open. He cleaved through people and weapons alike, saving time by avoiding drawn-out fights and desperately carving a path through the crowd.
Hearing the commotion, Tang San rushed to support him. Attacking from both sides, they finally tore a gap through the encirclement, carving out a blood-soaked path straight to the Hell Slaughter Arena.
For some reason, Ling Chen wasn't in a hurry to escape the encirclement. Instead, he deliberately trampled the corpses.
Ever since Ling Chen discovered the day before that he could absorb Martial Soul Origins by touching corpses with his feet, he no longer needed to wait until a battle was over to reach them. It also let him absorb as many Martial Soul Origins as possible.
When he judged that he'd collected enough, Ling Chen finally began to retreat while fighting, heading toward the Hell Slaughter Arena.
"Don't let that brat get away! If he makes it into the Hell Slaughter Arena, it won't be so easy to kill him afterward!"
But Tang San wasn't about to let them catch up with Ling Chen. He stayed behind to cover their retreat, and no one could break through his Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
After swinging his hammer nearly 108 times, Tang San left without the slightest hesitation and withdrew toward the Hell Slaughter Arena.
But when he arrived, the King of Slaughter blocked his way.
"You've turned my Slaughter City upside down! You really don't take me seriously at all!"
Tang San's expression was grim, but he only gave a cold snort.
"Wasn't this the rule you set? You only forbade killing in the outer city. As for the inner city, we can slaughter every last person there without consequence!"
"Impudent!"
The King of Slaughter roared. Vast killing intent surged from his body, pressing down on Tang San.
Tang San wasn't afraid in the slightest. With the Hundred Interpretations of Hidden Weapons at his command, he might well be able to kill the King of Slaughter.
"Enough. If you think we're a nuisance, why not send us away? Wouldn't that solve all your problems?"
Ling Chen and Hu Liena stepped out from behind Tang San. The situation seemed to have slipped beyond the King of Slaughter's control.
"How laughable! Why go through all that trouble? I can just kill you!"
The King of Slaughter gave a sinister smile. He'd never taken Ling Chen and the others seriously.
"Interesting. We managed to slaughter a hundred people while being attacked by a thousand, and yet your Hell Slaughter Arena needs ten people just to start a match."
"Putting that aside, some people refused to fight us in the Hell Slaughter Arena and only wanted to gang up on us in the inner city. You protected them. I think you're the one who's laughable!"
Ling Chen looked at the King of Slaughter calmly, as if he weren't afraid of him making a move.
The King of Slaughter was momentarily stumped. He really was in the wrong this time.
"You sharp-tongued brat. Aren't you afraid I'll—"
Before the King of Slaughter could finish, Ling Chen interrupted him.
"As the King of Slaughter, I'm sure you wouldn't stoop to quarreling with a few juniors like us!"
Ling Chen hadn't completely offended the King of Slaughter. He'd given him a way to back down while still saving face.
At this, the King of Slaughter burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahahaha! Well said! For someone your age, you're truly a peerless genius. I'll count this as you having passed the Hell Slaughter Arena. All you need to do now is make it through Hell Road, and you'll be able to leave!"
Ling Chen clasped his fists in thanks. "Then I thank you for making an exception, King of Slaughter!"
Ling Chen knew that Tang San and Hu Liena had two Slayers backing them. The King of Slaughter wouldn't dare act against them lightly, but he could still target Ling Chen.
He might as well go with the flow. That way, he wouldn't have to find a way to win a hundred consecutive matches in the Hell Slaughter Arena.
Next came the challenge of Hell Road.
Ling Chen recalled the events on Hell Road in the original story: the Three-Headed Bat King and the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent.
They weren't the real danger. That lay in the poisonous miasma and blood-colored fog, which would stir up their inner demons and make them turn on one another.
Ling Chen had chosen to work with Tang San because Tang San's Purple Demon Eye could See Through the illusions and lead them out safely.
He just didn't know whether having one extra person would change the outcome.
As they stepped onto Hell Road, they saw a narrow bridge barely half a foot wide, stretching so far they couldn't see its end. On either side rolled a sea of lava and blood. The searing heat roasted their skin, while the blood-colored miasma in the air stirred the killing intent buried in their hearts.
"So this is Hell Road?"
Ling Chen looked around curiously, but Tang San had already spotted the problem and released his Blue Silver Domain.
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